This bill (S 7451) prohibits judges from banning parents from undergoing gender-affirming care during child custody decisions. It directly affects parents involved in custody cases by requiring courts to disregard a parent's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression when determining a child's best interests. The law adds a specific provision to domestic relations law stating courts "shall not prohibit a party from undergoing gender reassignment" and must not consider gender identity factors. If passed, it would prevent courts from restricting a parent's access to medical care related to their gender identity as part of custody rulings. The bill is currently in the Assembly Judiciary committee after passing the Senate.
Defines therapeutic agriculture for the purposes of community gardens as the use of agricultural activities as a means of promoting physical, mental and emotional well-being, rehabilitation and therapy for certain individuals.
Requires that health insurance policies shall provide coverage for follow-up screening or diagnostic services for lung cancer; provides that no patient cost sharing shall be imposed for follow-up screening or diagnostic services for lung cancer.
Provides that organ donation registrations through an electronic health record product do not retain or store patients' donor status information and meet standards established by the commissioner; amends the effective date.
This bill provides emergency funding to keep state government operations running during a budget gap from April 1 to April 15, 2025. It directly affects all state employees (including executive branch staff, legislators, and judiciary personnel) by covering their payroll payments and related liabilities incurred during that period. Key provisions allocate $668 million for salaries, $32 million for non-personal service debts, and $516 million for employee benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions. The funding is temporary, designed to bridge the gap until the regular 2025-2026 budget is enacted under state law. As a procedural emergency appropriation, it focuses on maintaining essential services without altering long-term policy.
This bill provides emergency funding for New York State government operations from April 1 to April 7, 2025, to cover essential payroll and expenses during a budget gap. It directly affects state employees, departments, and programs by authorizing payments for personal services (up to $324.9 million), non-personal operational costs ($10 million), and specific programs like Medicaid ($1.36 billion), elderly pharmaceutical coverage ($1.52 million), and healthcare services ($3.21 million). The funds are temporary, intended to bridge the period until regular fiscal year appropriations are enacted under state constitution requirements. This procedural bill does not create new policies but ensures continuity of critical state services during the budget transition.
This bill provides emergency funding to keep New York state government operating during a critical budget gap from April 1-3, 2025. It allocates $279.9 million for state employee payrolls (including March 2025 back pay), $10 million for essential operational costs, and $1.1 billion for Medicaid programs. The funding ensures continuity for state services, payroll, and Medicaid payments while awaiting the regular 2025-2026 budget. It was enacted rapidly and signed into law on April 1, 2025, to prevent a government shutdown.
This bill increases the total bond and note issuance limit for New York's Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency from $18.2 billion to $20.2 billion, allowing an additional $1.8 billion in financing. It directly affects hospitals and nursing homes seeking capital projects by expanding the agency's ability to fund new construction, renovations, or equipment through bond sales. Key provisions include maintaining debt service limits during bond refunding and requiring sufficient capital reserves before issuing new bonds secured by those reserves. The change is a straightforward financial adjustment to support healthcare facility development without altering program eligibility or new service requirements.
This bill modifies New York's insurance law to regulate "step therapy" protocols used by health insurers. It directly affects patients and insurers by limiting how insurers can require patients to try lower-cost drugs before covering a prescribed medication. Key provisions include capping required drug trials at two per condition, banning protocols for unapproved or unsupported drugs, requiring insurer acceptance of doctors' written proof of drug failure as valid evidence, and preventing redundant step therapy for patients who recently completed it under another plan. The changes take effect January 1, 2026.
Requires the commissioner of health to consult with the office of addiction services and supports and relevant stakeholders as determined by such commissioner in addition to the office of mental health to publish guidance for incorporating maternal depression screenings into routine prenatal care; changes the effective date to eighteen months.
